How to watch the Super Bowl on the biggest and littlest screens

The Super Bowl is coming to your TV, laptop, tablet, and smartphone. You won't …

For the first time, the NFL is providing live streaming video of the Super Bowl, both on Web browsers and through a smartphone application. Now you'll have any number of viewing options and combinations: sit in front of an HDTV with a laptop or tablet to gain DVR controls and extra camera angles not available on the main NBC feed. If you can't get to a TV or browser (or if someone is blocking your view at the local watering hole) just whip out your smartphone and watch the game in miniature—assuming you're a Verizon customer and have a network connection that's fast enough.

As a Massachusetts resident and Patriots fan, I will likely be too nervous and anxiety-ridden to operate any type of technology once the Super Bowl starts around 6:30 PM ET Sunday. But if you're a huuuugggeeee fan who can't get enough coverage, your best bet is probably sitting on the couch with a laptop or tablet, as the NFL says the live stream will be available in tablet browsers, which likely means both the iPad and Android tablets.

Watching on a smartphone might be good for the 30 seconds spent walking between the living room and front door when the pizza delivery person arrives, but even aside from the small screen, there are some annoying limitations. The biggest is simply that it's Verizon-only. If you've got an iPhone or Android with a Verizon contract, go ahead and download the Verizon-sponsored NFL Mobile app, but note that to view the live streaming video you'll need to pay another $3 a day or $10 a month to Verizon. That fee is waived for owners of 4G LTE phones, as part of a promotion to encourage customers to upgrade to 4G. The live stream quality is shaky on 3G anyway, and WiFi is preferred both because of quality and monthly data caps.

That "Verizon-only" thing is no joke

The NFL Mobile app is also available for the iPad and Android tablets, with live audio, drive charts, real-time scores, and such, but the NFL has not granted Verizon the right to stream the game to tablets. WiFi-only tablets can't even use the non-streaming functions of the Verizon app because a Verizon network connection is required.

My attempt to download the app onto a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 was met with an error message. On the iPad, I could download the app but upon opening NFL Mobile was greeted with this friendly message (even though I am a Verizon Wireless phone customer):

iPad error

The reason for this is Verizon authenticates users through its cellular network. If you try to open NFL Mobile on a phone connected to both 3G and WiFi, Verizon will kindly ask you to turn WiFi off before it will unlock even the free features of the application.

Lest you think the NFL has completely crippled the mobile experience for non-Verizon customers, note the existence of the carrier-free NFL '11 app for iOS and Android, which contains similar features as the Verizon app—minus the live stream. Further, while the Verizon tablet app is not getting the live stream, tablet browsers are.

The stream "will be available via NBCSports.com and NFL.com on a browser on a tablet (not through an app)," an NFL spokesperson told us via e-mail. The NFL spokesperson said he could not specify which specific devices this will be supported on, referring us to NBC Sports, whom we've contacted as well.

Although the sites use Adobe Flash, we were able to view recorded videos they've posted related to the Super Bowl on both an iPad and Android tablet (though not on an iPhone). We can't test the live stream until Sunday, of course, but there seems to be a good chance it will work on both iPads and Android tablets.

We can, however, test the Verizon NFL Mobile app as it's already streaming live video of talking heads discussing the game. Using an iPhone 4 on 3G, the video quality was often blurry and herky-jerky, especially when shifting camera angles.

NFL talking heads on an iPhone in 3G

On WiFi, however, the phone app's live stream performs quite well:

NFL talking heads on an iPhone over WiFi

The phone stream on Sunday will be the same as the NBC broadcast, including the halftime show and commercials, with no DVR control or extra camera angles. In a Web browser, the NFL is promising "HD quality, DVR controls, online-only camera angles and sideline reports," and live chats with experts.

While the NFL has never before provided its own live stream, people have watched previous Super Bowls online through unofficial channels. But technology moves on, and even the NFL must adapt.

"The NFL has always been very protective of their Internet rights," says Kevin Callahan, senior engineer at Game Creek Video, which shot last year's Super Bowl for Fox. But, "with the development of the iPad and other devices, it's become second-nature that you need that second screen for something else."

Game Creek Video isn't involved in this year's streaming project, but it does have trucks in Indianapolis to film Super Bowl-related shows, such as ESPN's broadcasts from the site. For the video trucks, streaming requires sending out another feed, but nothing technically challenging, Callahan said. The extra camera feeds promised by the NFL for online viewers do mean the camera operators must be at their best, he said.

"The Super Bowl has probably 50 cameras, roughly," Callahan told Ars. "It's impossible for all 50 cameras to really get into the broadcast. I don't know this for a fact, but I'm guessing they'll select 8 or 10 of those cameras and allow you to see them full-time. They may have a camera isolating a coach or isolating the quarterback. From a camera person's standpoint, they have to realize that they are going out live to the Internet and they have to make sure their shots are clean and framed."

As I just cut out my cable provider, I will be attempting to stream to my tv via an as yet unknown method. If all else fails I will turn the pot of frying oil off and retreat to the nearest watering hole. Wish me luck!

So, who is playing in this game? New York versus New England apparently. Way to make it hard for foreigners. New England is the old-school heart of the American philosophy, New York is the cultural giant of the 20th Century. There is no easy way to pick one over the other. Couldn't you let Colorado win so I could at least get a little bit exercised about it? Apparently they had Jesus playing for them or something.

Will the live stream work on my Sony Internet TV (Powered by google tv)?

Not sure. It has a regular browser? If so, it could very well work. I've never used Google TV.

Yes, it has a regular browsers, but I'm sure it somehow reports it's an android device. It may get blocked, not sure.

Well, as the article notes, there is a good chance live video will work on Android tablets. I was able to get recorded videos on the NFL and NBC websites to work on a Galaxy Tab. That's not a guarantee the live stream will work on a particular Android device, but hopefully it will.

The Apple TV does not have a regular browser as far as I can remember, so that's a nice option for Google TV to have.

Well, as the article notes, there is a good chance live video will work on Android tablets. I was able to get recorded videos on the NFL and NBC websites to work on a Galaxy Tab. That's not a guarantee the live stream will work on a particular Android device, but hopefully it will.

The Apple TV does not have a regular browser as far as I can remember, so that's a nice option for Google TV to have.

Great to hear, as I'll be bringing my small sony internet tv to the party to put in the kitchen. This way I wont' have to plug in cable or an antenna.

Apple TV does not have a browser, unless you do a little jailbreak action. I have both a Google TV and Apple TV, and I prefer the jailbroken Apple TV by far.

I'm all about next year. I will find a way to get down to the Superdome next year when the Saints get to have a true home Super Bowl. Look for the guy in the black Kyle Turley jersey (I actually ran across someone down there with a white one!)

On topic: if this works out could we see the Ticket moving to an online to all the masses version? Please? Pretty pretty pretty please? It pains me that the rest of the world can stream games over the internet (outside of NBC) but THE market gets a red hot poker up its ass...

I think there are more Patriots and Giants fans concentrated in South Florida than any other part of the country. I hate this area of the state.

Even though I'm a Pats fan I can sympathize. I went to Boston University (lived in Mass. my whole life) but a million New Yorkers go to BU and the Yankees won the World Series three times in four years while I was there. The place was just stinking full of obnoxious Yankees fans and we were in BOSTON! It was awful. We got our revenge in 04 though.

Boston fans seem to spread out all over the country... like you hear Red Sox cheers on TV in just about any stadium across America. I love it, but I'm sure it can be annoying for others.

I think there are more Patriots and Giants fans concentrated in South Florida than any other part of the country. I hate this area of the state.

Are you sure they just aren't snowbirds?

Snowbirds are included, but there are so many northerners that take residence here that the snowbirds barely tip the pot. It might not be so bad if a good amount of South Floridians were fans of the Florida teams, but everybody here hates the Dolphins, Marlins, Panthers, etc. Radio station DJs constantly mock the local teams, with little clips like:

"I'd really like to see the Dolphins pull it out over the Jets this weekend...[booing sound effects]...yeah yeah I know...I'm just kidding guys."

I'm pretty sure it's that the younger people who would be fans get the hell out of here as soon as age/job/school allows, and the northerners move down to Florida as soon as possible.